Article impaling conveyor



May 4, 1948. F. ROTTIER ARTICLE IMPALINCT CONVEYOR Filed April 27, 1946 Patented May 4, 1948 ARTICLE IMPALING CONVEYOR Frank Rottier, Lansing, Ill., assignor to Piowaty- Bergart Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 27, 1946, Serial No. 665,533

3 Claims.

l This invention relates to conveyor apparatus and more particularly to apparatus designed to carry packages or materials which may be readily attached to and removed from the conveyor. l An object of the invention is to provide con'- veyor apparatus of simple and sturdy construction equipped withmeans for supporting containers and objects in such a manner as to permit their quick application tothe conveyor and release therefrom. A further object is to provide conveyor mechanism to which containers or packages or objects may be applied and later automatically removed therefrom. Yet another object is to provide a conveyor structure wherein laterally extending members are afforded to receive sacks, containers or articles together with means for supporting the conveyor to prevent tilting thereof under the weight of such containers and objects, etc. A further object is to pro'- vide a conveyor structure with laterally extending prongs adapted to be inserted through sacks, or supporting portions of objects so that they may be transported to a desired destination, means being provided at the destination for automatically removing the sacks, etc. Other specic objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a broken side view in elevation of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional detail view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1; and, Fig. 4, a broken perspective view of the conveyor track, conveyor chain, and the means for supporting the chain against tilting.

In the illustration given, I designates a sprocket wheel mounted upon drive shaft II. A second sprocket wheel I2 is carried upon an idler shaft I3. Sprockets I IJ and I2 are connected by a conveyor chain I4.

The conveyor chain I4 is formed of separable links I5, each link having at its forward end a socket member I6 receiving the round I I of the link ahead. The socket portion I8 is preferably narrower in width than the main body of the link, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 3. At spaced intervals, one of the links I is provided with an integral outwardly extending prong or hook I8.

A track I9 is provided for supporting the link conveyor I4 through at least a portion of its travel, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 1. The

track is formed of an angle-iron member providing a vertical side wall 2i) and a horizontal track wall 2|..` Mounted upon the horizontal track Wall are the longitudinally extending rods 22 and 23. The track rods 22 and 23 are spaced apart so as to provide a track receiving theubody portion of the links I5, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 3. The socket member I6 of each link extends downwardly betweenthe track rods 22 and 23 and then upwardly' as'indicated more clearly in Fig. 4.

In order to prevent the link I5 from tilting when a weight is placed upon the prong` I 8, I

' provide a guide rod 24, which may be secured by thereby.

welding or other means yto the ver-tical wall v2li of track I9. The guide rod 24 is supported just above the side ofthe link opposite prong I8 and preventsv the tilting .of link I5. The rod 24 may be formed of brass or any other suitable material and the rods 22 and ,23 may be'likewise formed. Similarly, the links I5 may be formed of steel or of any other suitable metal.l

The prong I8 may be 'attached to or formed integrally with the link I5' and it is illustrated as having a slight upward 4inclination so vasto retain the bag or other device applied thereto. It will be understood that the shape v'and character of the supporting arm I8 maybe varied widely depending upon the type of product to be carried It will be understood thatthe conveyor Ill'rnay'y be of any desired length and the track I9 may also extend for substantial distances. As illustrated more clearly in Fig. 1, a network bag 25, after lling with tangerines, potatoes, onions or other produce or `objects may be readily applied to the prong I8 so that the prong serves as a means for closing the top of the container while also supporting it upon the conveyor I4. When the bag has reached its desired destination, I prefer to provide simple means for removing it from the prong I8 and deposit it in a receptacle or platform, etc. In the illustration given, an inclined plate 2G, having an outwardly inclined side 21, engages the bag 25 as the conveyor chain moves forwardly toward sprocket Il] and thus frees the bag from the prong I8. If desired, a positive member, actuated by cams on the sprocket wheel Ill, may be employed for pushing the bag 25 outwardly at a desired point to free it from the prong I8. It will be understood that any mechanical structure suitable for pushing the bag outwardly and off the prong I8 may be employed at the place of destination of the bag. It will further be understood that after the bag is placed upon the hook or prong i8 and is carried along the track, that any suitable mechanism, .such as a sewing machine mechanism or other sealing means may be employed to seal the bag 25 or sew it into closed condition before it is ejected at the point of destination.

Insteat ofi"employingY woverrf. ori' :network bags? 25 for carryigz'prodcegs. etc., itwill.'b`eurnerG stood that articles themselves having handles,

4 by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Conveyor apparatus, comprising a track, a link conveyor mounted thereon, some of the links being provided with spur supports extending laterallE'therefrorna-and being".v curvedv` downwardly aflongith'eirbentral portion and upwardlyto substantially pointed ends, and cooperating means rings or hook-like projections will permit them:r lmon-said conveyo-r and track for anchoring said to be directly suspended upon themembers .Y I8. and further, the character of the memb'erlfmay be modiiied in shape and arrangement soiassto support other desired objectmforscoritaizners.l Inesv stead of equipping one of the links I5 here and there with a prong I8, each VVlinkamay, carry. af

laterally extending support or 'several'sucl supports in spaced relation.

Operation trackat""otierppits;tpreventisuciitiiting- In' tiieillust'atmgren; ,the socketimemner: l smay, be ofassistance in; preventing? subirv tilting. by reasonh of. its'enggementwitii the: track" 23".1

While in".tlieiregong'specificaztion; If-n'aye'set frtlicertaiii detalls as illustrative= ofr one inode' of application of the invention, it will be under:

linkeonveyonagainst tilting when bags are suspend'dbupon said spur supports.

2;.Gonveypreapparatus adapted for the con- Veyingao-net containers, comprising a track, a link conveyofamorlted thereon, at least some of the links being, provided with laterally-extending spursupports' Having pointed ends, and oooperating means on said conveyor and track for anchoring said link conveyor against tilting whenN weight is .placedr upon said supports; the spur; support being-curved downwardly from the point. ofiA its. attachment with the linkt to if form a saddl'eportionsin .itsCen-ter and then curving.

, upwardly.. ytoward the. pointed end thereof.

3T, Conveyor.. appar'atus comprising, a track equippedon oneside with .a rod running4 longi-,v tudinally [of thetrack, .and on theopposite vside, with'tworods spaced from eachotherk andy runl ningdngitudinally, ofthe. track, aliink. .conveyor having, lateral' portions.. resting. upon the` rod,- oni oney side: thereofA and between said rods` ontlieotle'r'sid offthetrack, said. portion ofthecoriveyor above the single .rod being` equipped-:with laterallyrextending spur supports,V and means .for moyingrsaidfconveyor.onsaid track, saidspur supports. being., provided; with acurved saddle .A portionLatftheir centerVv andwith yan upwardly tapered free end `portion.

- ERANK ROTTIER.

Name Date 342t4ll.. Sven.son May25, ..1886 661399,;2 Good Nov. 13, 1900' 1,545,114 Alvey July 7,.1925- 2,103,680. -K1aucke Dec; 28,-1937 2,251,121 Daw. l July 29, 1941.-v 

